US, Japan join Philippines in South China Sea drills
The five-day drills brought warships, coast guard vessels and aircraft together as Manila and Beijing traded claims over recent encounters.
- On July 25, the U.S. and Japan concluded five days of joint maritime exercises with the Philippines in the South China Sea, bringing together warships, coast guard vessels, and aircraft to improve interoperability among the allied forces.
- These exercises are the latest in an expanding series of joint drills aimed at pushing back against China's sweeping claims over the South China Sea, underscoring an "enduring partnership among the partner nations in promoting peace."
- Tensions flared during the drills, with the Philippine Coast Guard reporting that Chinese vessels fired water cannons at Philippine government vessels near the Scarborough Shoal on Thursday and Friday of the exercises.
- On Saturday, Philippine armed forces chief of staff Antonio Nafarrete visited the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island in the Spratly Islands, about 300 miles west of Palawan, pledging support to strengthen troops' operational capabilities.
- China, which rejects a 2016 arbitral ruling invalidating its claims over the South China Sea, stated it took legal measures after Philippine vessels "insisted on intruding" into disputed waters.
21 Articles
21 Articles
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